1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electronic camera, and more particularly to an electronic camera which is provided with electronic imaging means such as a digital camera.
2. Description of Related Art
A digital camera receives light from a subject through a taking lens by means of an imaging device, and converts the light into an image signal, which is recorded on a recording medium. It is necessary to shield external or unnecessary (i.e., light other than the light from the subject) in order to prevent the imaging device from receiving such external or unnecessary light. There is known a digital camera which is provided with an electronic flash which detects an electronic flash light, which hits on the subject, by means of an electronic flash control sensor to automatically adjust the quantity of electronic flash emission light. It is necessary to prevent light other than the electronic flash light, which hits on the subject, from entering the electronic flash control sensor. Accordingly, an outer casing of the conventional digital camera is made of a material which never transmits light (a frame, a chassis, a case, a cover, etc. of the camera).
On the other hand, there is proposed a silver halide camera whose outer casing is made of a transparent material so that the interior of the camera can be seen through (Japanese patent provisional publication No. 5-45708). In the silver halide camera, a camera body which has a film chamber, and photographing functional parts such as a shutter member and a film feed member, which are directly attached to the camera body, have light-shielding properties. Structural members such as a gear base plate, a gear presser and a battery block, which are arranged outside the photographing functional parts, are made of transparent materials, and a transparent outer casing is provided outside the structural members. According to the silver halide camera, a film having light-shielding properties can shield unnecessary light completely, and the interior of the camera can be seen through as much as possible.
A conventional silver halide camera, however, is constructed in such a way that the camera body having the film chamber and the photographing functional parts have light-shielding properties. For this reason, if the outer casing such as a front cover is made of a transparent material, the interior of the camera can be seen through. If the structural members such as the gear base plate arranged outside the photographing functional parts are made of transparent materials, the interior of the camera is seen through the structural members made of the transparent materials.
On the other hand, a material which never transmits light is used for the outer casing of the digital camera, and there is no digital camera whose interior can be seen through. For this reason, the digital camera makes a stiff impression, and if a subject is a person, it is difficult to capture his or her natural or soft expression. If the outer casing is not transparent, openings must be formed in an area of the outer casing, which faces to an optical system, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting devices. A transparent cover for protection, a light guide, etc. must be provided in these openings. This results in an increase in the number of parts and assemblers. Moreover, the digital camera requires a battery and a recording medium, and if the outer casing is not transparent, a user sometimes fails to notice that the battery and the recording medium are not mounted in the camera until he or she starts photographing. Therefore, there is a possibility of missing a photographing opportunity.